> On Fri, 4 Jul 2003 18:55:40 +0000 (UTC), Thomas Steinmaurer wrote:
> >> ...
> >
> > Though, we could investigate to make a freely available good
> > (supporting different graphic formats) image viewing component
> > IBO native data-aware?
>
>
> Well, what would it take ?

Ehm, what would it cost, or what would be needed to make
such a component IBO native data-aware?

If you are talking about money, then offer it for free to
the community. If you are talking about what's needed to
do realize such a TIB_ExImage, hmm, some things come in
mind:

1) We should base any efforts on a freely available image
viewing component, where we are allowed to take the source,
change it, and make the component available for free.

2) Such an image viewing component must be capable to
provide load/save streams mechanism on the native
represenation of an image. For example, viewing an
image of a given format, shouldn't be converted into
a bitmap when it is stored into the database. That's
why Delphi's TDBImage bloats up your database, even
if you think you are storing a JPEG.

3) Such an image viewing component should provide
methods for working with the Windows clipboard.

4) Such an image viewing component should provide
drag&drop support from the Windows Explorer.

...

1) and 2) is a must to get the image in its native
format into and from the database, whereas 3) and 4)
would be nice to have.

Just thoughts ;-).


Thomas.